Paramount’s action comedy Novocaine saw the brilliant Jack Quaid continue his strong 2025 run, following the late-January release of the widely acclaimed sci-fi thriller, Companion. Having just debuted in theaters across the most recent weekend,

"Novocaine" is off to a good start at the box office with an estimated $8.5 million opening weekend, but the marketplace is in a terrible slump.

Five new movies opened in wide release in North American theaters this weekend. And yet it's likely going to be the lowest-grossing of the year to date.

When final receipts are tallied Monday, it’s likely going be the lowest-grossing weekend of the year to date with around $54 million in total ticket sales.

The Paramount action comedy is off to a good start, but the $55 million overall weekend total is the worst for March since 1996

Paramount Pictures’ action-comedy Novocaine, starring Jack Quaid, claimed the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office with a modest $8.7 million debut. The film, about a man who feels no physical pain, fell below early projections of $10 million despite earning $1.5 million from Thursday previews.

Jack Quaid’s action-comedy “ Novocaine ” topped a painfully slow weekend at the box office with $8.7 million. For theater owners, however, there’s not too much to celebrate: It’s one of the worst debuts to still capture the No. 1 spot (at least since the pandemic ground moviegoing to a halt).